Blog

Had an email recently from one who lived through Katrina and it was a sobering tale of warning to those who are unprepared.  Steve B. shared his story of how he and his wife flew into New Orleans the Friday night before Katrina.  They were there for a wedding and...

Just the other day while heading to one of my listings to show potential buyers, I got a message from the seller that there was fire on the mountain!  Thinking such a situation would be a huge turnoff to my buyer I contemplated canceling the tour, however, decided to...

The other day, I had the opportunity to tour a prime bug out property with its owner.  The Pisgah Ranch was designed from the ground up to be a North Carolina survival property.  It looks like a friendly log home (which it is), but it is a fortress.  Situated on 97...

Much of what Retreat Realty does for folks is conduct due diligence.  But what is "due diligence"?  Its a real estate term describing the research and analysis of a property to determine if it is suitable for one's needs. Most of our clients are coming from outside...

Raising rabbits as a food source is something most of us find unsettling.  After all, how could one butcher a cute bunny?  But when the economy tanks and the grocery stores are stripped bare, our attitudes will change.  During the recent Heritage Life Skills event my...

Just completed three days of learning and showcasing at the Heritage Life Skills event in Waynesville, and what an event!  Retreat Realty had its display booth featuring western North Carolina survival properties and many folks stopped by to chat.  The event itself...

Today a friend of mine alerted me that on the afternoon broadcast of "All Things Considered" an NPR broadcast on Survival Real Estate would be aired.  I hurriedly turned on my Bose Wave Radio and waited.  Sure enough, along came NPR reporter Kirk Seigler with a very...

Just a reminder of the upcoming Heritage Life Skills event taking place at the Waynesville Fairgrounds this weekend April 29, April 30 and May 1.  Our friends at Carolina Readiness Supply are putting it together and it is shaping up to be a tremendous event.  There...

More often than not, a North Carolina survival property entails a sizable amount of acreage in order to provide privacy and the natural resources one may need in an off the grid living situation.  Unfortunately, that acreage tends to come at a higher price.  However,...

Amazingly, we've witnessed three earthquakes in two days time with two of them in southern Japan and a third in Ecuador.  These reminded me of the Great Hanshin Earthquake in Kobe and Osaka Japan which my in-laws lived through.  In that event, more than 6,000 people...